In Another Life
by loristamos
Summary: It's been twenty years since John Stamos watched Lori Loughlin marry someone else, and three years since a revealed secret changed the course of their entire lives. What will happen when a behind the scenes kiss stirs up the Loughlin-Giannulli household and leaves Lori questioning everything? Will the family ever be the same?


Disclaimer: This is a purely fictional work that does not represent any real situations. This story also is NOT intended to disrespect their personal lives. It's all in fun. Furthermore, we do not own Full House, Fuller House or any of the characters in either program.

* * *

"You can't do this."

"Lori, I just need time for myself. I'll be back on Monday." Lori's husband looked back at her one last time before pulling his suitcases into the trunk of his car and closing it.

"It was just a kiss. He kissed me—I didn't even—"

"It was a kiss." Mossimo got into the driver's seat, Lori's eyes following him. "Tell the girls goodnight for me." He turned on the ignition and drove away, leaving a befuddled Lori behind.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she slowly walked into the house. The moment she shut the door, she fell to the floor. She was a sobbing mess. How could she have let this happen?

Suddenly, Lori could see a shadow arise near her. She looked up and forced her leftover tears away with a gulp. "Are you okay, mom?" Olivia's soft voice asked.

Lori looked up at her daughter, taking a deep breath and wiping her cheeks with her sleeve.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Olivia sat down next to her.

"You don't need to explain anything," Olivia murmured to her mom. She moved Lori's head so it was laying on her shoulder. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew one thing: she hated seeing her mother cry.

"I love you. I'm sorry," Lori whispered, barely audible, fighting back more tears as she rested her head on Olivia's shoulder. She felt defeated. She hated, absolutely hated, crying in front of her daughter.

"It's okay. I love you too," Olivia assured, rubbing her mom's arm.

"I could hear noise from the stairs..." A voice began, walking up to the two women. "Oh no, what's going on?" Bella's light voice grew worried.

"It's okay, really," Lori insisted.

"Obviously it's not," Bella pointed out concerned, taking a seat on the other side of Lori.

Lori wiped her tears away and pushed herself up. She had to force herself to be strong. For the girls.

"Everything is okay. There was just a small dispute between your father and me." Lori faked a smile and began walking before stopping and turning back around. "By the way, he wanted me to tell you goodnight."

Olivia and Bella watched as their mother walked up the stairs to her empty bedroom before looking at each other, at a loss for words.

They decided not to push and both headed to their rooms, hoping for the best between their parents. The tears started again as soon as Lori hit the bed. That kiss. That stupid kiss. Why did she let it happen? Why didn't she pull away?

* * *

John looked beside him at Caitlin sound asleep and cuddled comfortably beside him. The sheets were covering their bare bodies. A minute later, he heard his phone vibrate beside him.

"Meet me in ten. Our place."

John looked at Caitlin and then back at the phone. He didn't want to wake Caitlin, but Lori needed him and he couldn't tell her no.

"I'll be there," John replied before very carefully sneaking out of bed. He grabbed his clothes off the floor and slipped them on before grabbing his keys and quietly shutting the door.

* * *

Lori drove and parked in the lot. She got out of the car and followed the trail to the park. It was located a fair distance from the Full/Fuller House studio and she and John had always snuck away to it whenever they wanted to spend time alone.

He was already sitting there waiting on the bench by the water, the moonlight shining on him like a spotlight. He looked at her and his eyes sparkled.

When Lori met John's eyes, she could see a glimmer in his and without realizing it, a small smile had come to her face.

"John," she murmured simply but sweetly.

"Lori," he responded as she sat down next to him. "Is everything okay?"

Lori looked up at the night sky, tapping her fingers on the bench space beside her. She hesitated before deciding that it would be best to be completely upfront. "Why did you kiss me?"

"The same reason you kissed me back," he answered with a smile.

Lori licked her lip subconsciously. "John..." she paused, protectively keeping to herself. "You can't just keep saying things like that..."

"It's the truth. You can't deny it, Lori. We both know why it happened."

"And we both know I've been married for nineteen years." Lori's words dropped like knives. She didn't know how, they just did. "What happened backstage caused my husband to stay in a hotel this weekend, away from his family. I can't just do this to them..."

" _We're_ supposed to be a family. You, me and our daughters."

"Yeah, well, we aren't." Lori stared into the open space in front of them. "John, if we were meant to be together, things would have fallen into place a long time ago. But now I'm happy with my family and my heart belongs to Mossimo."

"When was that supposed to happen, Lori? I never had a chance. You were married and then when you got divorced, I was with Rebecca. Before I knew it, you had gotten married again and I gave up and married Rebecca. That wasn't meant to be and I saw that, so I divorced her and then… that one night happened between us and Bella was born. That night you told me Bella was mine, I really thought you would see then that we were meant to be. You kissed me.. we…" He paused and took a breath before continuing. "And then shortly after, you found out you were pregnant with Olivia. I don't know how much more of a sign you need. We had two daughters together _while_ you were married. If it wasn't meant to be, why do you keep coming back to me?"

"You may be Bella and Olivia's birth father, but Mossimo is their true father. Even after they found out the truth, they still gave him their whole heart." Lori paused. "Listen, you're a great friend, John. That's why I kept coming back to you. And that's what we'll always be best at: being friends." Lori stood back up and then looked back at John.

"Thanks for this conversation." There was sudden fire in her eyes and her tone. "It completely cleared my mind. Kissing you the other night was a mistake and it'll never happen again. Have a great rest of your night." Lori then grabbed her purse off the bench and began making her way to her car.

John was shocked at her words but quickly got up and followed her. He wasn't giving up without a fight this time. "You felt something when we kissed. You can't deny it, Lori," John shouted across the parking lot.

Lori simply looked at him before shutting her car door. She watched from the driver's seat as John folded his arms behind his head and stared at her for a second before finally walking away, defeated. She could feel her body tense in pain. John was right. Every time their lips met, onscreen or off, her heart beat faster and she wanted nothing more than to kiss him again.

It felt right.

Even though it wasn't.

Lori shook her head back to reality and backed out of the parking space.

* * *

When Lori got home, she checked on the girls. They were both nestled in bed, sound asleep. She sighed, leaning against the doorway. She had always envisioned being married to the father of her children, yet here she was. She twisted the wedding ring on her finger as she looked one last time at her daughters before turning to her room.

Had she done the right thing by staying with Mossimo even after everything they had been through? Sometimes she questioned it.

Of course, when Lori had first announced to her daughters that John was their birth father, a mere ten years after Mossimo had discovered it, there was a tensioned silence in the Giannulli household that seemed to last for an eternity. For months, her then 13-year-old daughters had refused to spend time with her. They would always turn down family outings, rejecting a dinner including their mother but not hesitating to accept an offer from their father. This fact had always puzzled Lori—shouldn't Mossimo have also been put to blame? He had been keeping the secret from them as well.

But Lori was the one who had been sleeping with another man.

She was the one who had been disloyal to her family.

Watching this unfold, Lori had realized she could never treat her family that way again. The love she had for her family was greater than anything else in the world. Even John. Plus, she had realized through her girls' loyalty to Mossimo that their love for him remained ingrained regardless of blood relation and it was truly heartwarming. She couldn't dare take that away from them.

However, at the same time, Lori felt bad for John. She had robbed him of watching his daughters grow up. He had always told her he wanted a family and she denied him that. Sometimes she wondered what would have happened if she would have told them sooner. What would have happened if the girls knew from day one that John was their birth father. What would have happened if Mossimo had known the babies weren't his to begin with. Would he have stayed? It was days like today that Lori couldn't help but feel it was all her fault.

Still, Lori always strongly believed in the idea that everything happens for a reason. She was meant to have bad timing with John. She was meant to meet and fall in love with Mossimo. She was meant to have her children grow up and look up to her husband. Mossimo had always been the best husband and father she could ever ask for, and although she cared for John as a friend, she wasn't sure a life with him would have been as solid and bonded as the one with the man she _had_ wed all those years ago.

* * *

"Mom, someone's at the door!" Olivia called to her mother as the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" Lori announced, running to the door and opening it.

"What are—"

"I called him," Olivia butted in from behind.

"How did you know—" Lori attempted to question.

Olivia shook her head. "I figured it out." She turned to look at Lori. "Mom…" She then turned to look at John. "Dad…You two need to work out whatever it is."

Deep down, Lori knew Olivia was right. "Don't worry about it, okay sweetheart? I love you. We'll work it out," Lori agreed, moving out of the doorway so John could enter.

Olivia nodded before leaving the two of them alone.

John closed and locked the door behind him before looking back at Lori.

Lori had her hands placed together and swung them in front of her in discomfort.

"I'm really sorry about this, I had no idea Olivia had this planned."

John smiled at her awkwardness. "She grew up to be a great young woman."

Lori found herself looking back at John, a small smile rising on her face.

"Bella too," John continued.

Suddenly, they could hear a crash from the kitchen.

"I told you to be quiet!" Olivia's voice called out in a hushed whisper. She was looking to the space beside her.

"Olivia sweetie," Lori narrowed her eyes in confusion, "who's with you?"

A second later, Bella's head popped out from behind the column. She smiled weakly. "Hi mom… hi John- err, dad."

Lori tilted her head and shot her daughters a glare as John smirked and waved over at them.

"Sorry again," Lori told John once more before grabbing his hand and leading him to the home office.

Lori locked the door behind them and then turned back to John who was laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"The girls. The fact you keep apologizing. Don't you see that I love this? You know how much of this I missed out on?"

Lori half-smiled at him. "I know… and I'm sorry. But it isn't like you completely missed out on watching them grow up. You're one of my closest friends—you were there every step of the way."

John shook his head. "They don't even know what to call me. _Thirteen years_. I missed thirteen years of dad moments."

Lori sighed. "I don't think you understand what you actually mean to those girls. Even before the girls knew you were their birth father, they still thought highly of you and looked up to you. They loved spending time with you." Lori suddenly paused, lost in her thoughts. "I couldn't just leave a man who truly put his family before anything else—even if he wasn't blood related. Mossimo struggled with wrapping his head around the idea that the girls he loved weren't actually his own. But he loves them with every little piece of his heart. No matter what."

Lori bit her lip, her eyes falling from John and onto the ground and then back to John. "You never were ready to be a father anyway. You were always too caught up in the party lifestyle. Regardless of what you say or think, you wouldn't have given time to go to the girls' first day of school; see Bella's first recital; help Olivia the first time a hater commented on one of her YouTube videos. You would've been out, getting drunk or allowing some random woman strike a conversation with you. I did what I had to do."

"That's what you don't understand—I wanted to be with you, Lori. Not out drinking or hooking up with some waitress whose name I remember the next day. I wanted to be with you. We could've raised the girls together."

"I was ready to be with you when I left Michael, but you were with Rebecca. You fell for her, I met Mossimo and fell for him. And now… now things are confusing and I care about both of you. However, the moment the girls were born, it wasn't about what we wanted anymore. It's about what's best for them and what they want."

"And lying to them was what was best?"

"No, providing them with a structured family environment is what was best." Lori's fired eyes didn't leave John's.

"You say we could have raised them together, but you didn't see what you were like back then—I did. I loved you, but it was so hard to watch you spiral out of control. Do you know how many days I cried for you? How many days I prayed for you to pull your shit together? Mossimo provided them with the father figure they so desperately needed. They love Mossimo. I love Mossimo. And I love seeing them love him. Maybe things could've been different. Maybe it would've been you, me, and the girls, happily living together under the same roof. The girls calling _you_ 'dad' without hesitation, and Mossimo just being a designer that 'could have been.' But that isn't how life turned out, John. We'll never know how things 'could have been' between us, but I'm pretty darn happy with how things are now and no matter how much you wish it would, you being Olivia and Bella's birth father will never change anything."

"It's not about me. It's about our daughters. It's not fair to them, Lori." John pointed to the other room, his voice raised and angry. "You can't say I wouldn't have been a good father to them. I was _never_ given that chance. And yes, I had a drinking problem, but I got help. When I found out they were my daughters, I got treatment. I realized what I was doing to myself, to everyone around me. I wanted to get better for them. I did, and you still blame me for my past. I can't change that. No matter how much I wish I could change it, I can't. I can only go forward and that's what I'm trying to do."

Lori was silent for a minute and John scoffed at her.

"See, you know I'm right. You know I've changed. That's why after all this time, you still feel something when we kiss. That's why you're so conflicted by everything and laying around crying over this situation."

"You don't know _what_ I'm going through! You don't know what I've gone through over the last several years. Don't you _dare_ pretend to know anything about me," she howled back at him.

Just then they heard a thud against the door. Lori unlocked the door and opened it to find Bella and Olivia eavesdropping yet again.

"I am taking both of your phones away if you do not go to your rooms right now," Lori snapped at them. Both girls quickly scurried off. Lori then shut the door and locked it again before turning back to John.

"You think it's easy for me to watch the man I married feel insecure or that he doesn't belong? Worry that the girls don't trust me as much as they should? Wonder what would have happened if we could've been a normal family? You're a wonderful man, John. You have your share of problems, everyone does. You still have that kind, compassionate heart, I know that. And maybe that's why I keep trying to force excuses—because, deep down, I know that you would've been as amazing of a dad, or possibly even better, as Mossimo is. That's why the girls always looked and continue to look up to you." Lori smacked her hands together in affirmation. "But you don't know the amount of pain I've suffered through. And you can't just think that I'm going to abandon the man I'm in love with, the man the girls truly consider as their father. You can't keep pushing it, John! I care for you. Deeply. But the more you kiss me, the more confused I get, and the more confused I get, the more angry I get. We can't ruin the foundation we've built between us all these years. Even though we don't live as a happy family under the same roof, the girls still love you. For a true father, that's the best thing he could ever ask for."

Lori stared straight-faced at John; however, moments later she cracked and hot tears began rolling down her face.

John walked over and hugged her, pulling her tightly to him, her head resting against his chest. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry. You're right." Lori cried harder as she wrapped her arms around him, realizing once again that she never wanted him to leave.

"All I want is you and the girls to be happy. I'm so sorry," John pulled away enough to wipe her tears away.

"We are happy. But you can't just keep coming around, making me reconsider things again… But I also don't want you to leave the girls' side… or mine." Lori gripped his arms before backing away from him.

John looked at her at a loss. "Then what do you want me to do?"

"I don't—!" Lori caught her sudden loud tone and lowered it. "I don't know." She sighed. "Maybe in another life, I could have been in love with you. Maybe I was in love with you. Maybe I'm still in love with you…" She gazed deeply into John's eyes. "But it's too late now. I love Mossimo and he's the man I'm spending my life with."

John paused for a moment and just looked into her eyes. "I love you and he's the luckiest man alive…" he breathed. She looked at him speechless as he leaned closer to her. As he grew closer, her gut told her to pull away, but their lips had always appeared as two magnets, unable to draw apart from each other, and she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her mind raced, trying to decipher what she truly wanted.

"Whoa what are you—" she forced out, before being interrupted by John's mouth landing on hers. He pulled away. "Didn't I just tell you not to…"

John looked at her with guilt, but their eyes were still glowing with lust.

Within moments, Lori abruptly lured him back in, pushing John against the wall as she leaned in towards him and kissed him passionately. He began running his fingers through her hair, his tongue dueling with hers. As John began placing his hands on her waist, Lori felt a disgusted shiver rise up her spine, snapping her back to reality and pushing John away.

"Th-that's what can't happen between us," she began, backing away from him, wiping her red lips and smoothing her hair. "I care about you. I'll always care about you - but as friends. Maybe in another life, things could've worked out between us. But now I'm with Mossimo and I love him and our daughters deeply. Please understand. I have to be responsible and this... that... what I just did... what we did the other day... it wasn't responsible. It was spur of the moment. Uncalled for. Reckless."

John stared at her as she stumbled over her words.

"That's the last time this will ever happen. I choose Mossimo. I choose my husband. I love him. I want you in my life and I want you here for the girls, but I can't do this back and forth thing. I need you with me on this, please," Lori pleaded. "If you really love us like you say you do, you'll understand that we can't be together. We can't betray them again."

"You're right…" John looked down at the ground and back to Lori. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

"You need to go. Please go." Avoiding eye contact with John, Lori opened the office door for him and instead caught eyes with their daughters who were sitting on the staircase. She shook her head, but was too drained to lecture the girls on privacy again. "Let the girls walk you out."

As Bella and Olivia stood up and led John to the front door, Lori pushed the office door closed. Pressing her back against the glass door, she stared at the wall in front of her.

Lori lifted her finger and stroked it against her lips.

For the first time, the kiss didn't feel right.

* * *

After watching their father drive away, Bella and Olivia looked at each other and had a silent understanding of what to do next.

A few minutes later, Lori heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in," she called out in response. Lori was sitting on her bed, twisting the wedding ring on her finger. Her two teenage girls immediately noticed the teddy bear from John missing from her bedside table.

Bella and Olivia looked at their mom sadly.

"Can we—" Bella began before Lori nodded and motioned for them to sit beside her. Both her daughters immediately sat next to her and gave her a hug.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked, to which Lori simply nodded.

"I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have brought John here." Lori could tell from the expression on Olivia's face that she was ridden with guilt. "I really thought it would fix things."

Lori sat there silently.

Bella kept looking into her mother's eyes, even though Lori's were still staring at the space in front of her. "We just want you to be happy."

Olivia moved her head onto Lori's shoulder.

"Yeah. Even if that means we have to move out—"

"I'm not leaving your father."

Bella and Olivia narrowed their eyes in confusion.

"Mossimo," Lori clarified. "I mean, I'm not leaving your father, Mossimo."

Bella tilted her head. "You're not?"

"I'm not. And Olivia, that discussion with John was needed for us to clear the air, so thank you for calling him." Lori hugged her daughters in closer to her and kissed both their foreheads.

Bella and Olivia shared a look. Neither of them knew what was happening nor were they sure their mom was truly okay, but they agreed to go along with it.

A few moments later, Lori stood up and pulled her purse off the TV stand.

"Now, let's go visit your dad at the hotel."

* * *

The entire car ride to the hotel was nothing but silence. Bella and Olivia kept questioning in their heads whether their mom was truly okay. Their eyes constantly returned to Lori, but each time her eyes were simply on the road and there was no visible sign of heartache.

However, the moment the door to the hotel suite opened and their mother fell into their father's arms, shortly followed by their lips reuniting, they realized why.

Lori was right.

Their mom truly was where she belonged - where she was happiest. There was no question about it, nor was there a need for there to be. Somehow, even after the fight the married couple had two nights ago, they didn't even need to have a talk. They just knew, by looking into each other's eyes, that both sides were forgiven and everything was right again.

Deep down, Bella and Olivia knew that Lori did and always would have feelings for John, but the truth of the matter was, she would also always love Mossimo and with him, she was truly home.

Once Lori and Mossimo finally pulled away from the kiss, Mossimo's eyes returned to the girls and he grinned.

"C'mon, does your dad not deserve a hug?"

The two girls exchanged looks and shot a smile back at their father.

"Of course he does," they chorused as they leaned in towards their dad and immediately felt warmth and comfort soar through their bodies.

"I missed you girls so much…" Mossimo murmured. He then looked up at Lori. "All three of you." He shot her a wink and she smiled back.

"Now, go on in, it's dinner time and I brought you Chinese food," Lori announced.

Mossimo chuckled. Chinese food. Not only was it the food they had on their very first date - it was also his absolute favorite.

As Lori handed the bag to her husband and he gave her a small peck on the cheek before going to the dining table, she realized she couldn't stop smiling. She thought it'd be impossible for a person to smile brighter.

However, as she shut the door behind her and looked back at the happy family sitting together at the table, Mossimo joking around with their daughters, she quickly realized that belief was short-lived.

Mossimo was setting food on the girls' plates and caught Lori's eye. He noticed her eyes were sparkling and he shot her another smile.

Now. Now it was impossible to smile brighter.

* * *

Later that night, John had been pacing back and forth in his bedroom before finally deciding he needed to talk to Lori. Just one last time. After all, it had been twenty years, what could go wrong with yet another talk?

As he parked his car in front of the Giannulli house and began walking up the driveway, he suddenly noticed something. In the upstairs window, he could see two shadows moving in closer to each other and for a moment he couldn't keep his eyes away from the scene, wondering if his eyes were playing games with him or if what he thought was happening was…

"Shit," John screeched. "ABSOLUTE FUCKING BULLSHIT," he cried out, sliding his hand through his hair in anger as he made his way back to his car. In the midst of his frustration, he had unintentionally punched his fist on his car, leaving a dent in it and causing the alarm to go off.

He looked around as lights in houses around him started turning on to inspect the scene, and worriedly unlocked and scurried into his car before anyone could recognize him.

John could feel a lump get caught in his throat. As his head fell onto the steering wheel, he could feel his heart aching with disappointment and defeat.

Yes, it had been twenty years since the love of his life had married someone else, but for the first time, it really did feel finalized.

He was too late.


End file.
